Roller skate



Ap'r'n so, 1929. P. o. G'IBSO'N L11-1,451

ROLLER SKATE Filed Reb". 20, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 1 akker/nag ROLLER SKATE L Filed Feb. 2o, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 gnveno/o .Paray-L7. Bihan,

Patented 'Api'. 30,` 1929.

c UNITED STATES ignari PERCY `o. GIBSON, or xoxoivio, INDIANA.

ROLLER sKA'rn.

Application ined rebruary 2o, i928. serial No. 255,5a2.

Thev present invention pertains to a novel roller skateand is directed particularly to the wheel supporting construction vwhich permits a slight convergence or divergence 5 of the two axles in order that the skate may be caused to take a curved pathwhen pressure is applied on one edge or the other ot 'the skate.

This mode of operation requires that the 10 axle, or axle mounting, be balanced by a resilient means which normally retains the axles in parallel relation, but which permits the .variation already mentioned. Hither'to rubber pads have been used for these purposes, but rubber becomes hard with age and thus loses its utility for this' function. Moreover, .it is likelyY todeterior'ate further under lrough and constant usage.

The presentV invention comprises an improvement in the resilientmeans for posit-ioning the axle and involves .Y the use of a spring constructioninstead of rubber. It.

l will be apparent that due to the permanent nature ot' a spring, the ditli'culties arising from the use of rubber pads are overcome.

The invention further includes a novel device for changing the radius of curvature of the inner Wheels with respect to' theradius of curvature of the outer wheels, or'

vice versa on application of pressure to one or the other edge of 1the skate. This construction comprises Vessentially an axle mounting` or bearing pivoted ony a supporting member whichslopes towards'an end of the skate. As the bearing member is turned on yits pivot, one of the wheels will ascend and the other. will descend with respect to the slope of the supporting member, wliereupon the ascending and descending Wheels move respectively inwardly and outwardlyv of the skate, so that the two pairs of aligned wheels assumedifferent radii of curvature.

The invention is fully disclosedbyway of example in the following description and ink the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the sl'rate, partly in section;

Fig..2 is a section on theline 2 2 of Figure 1; y

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1; y f

Fig. 1 isa bottom plan View of the skate; Fig. -5 is a perspective view fof the channel bar; l v .i

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the support orstay bracket; f

F ig. 7k is a perspective view. of the axle brace; and

form of wheel. .Y

Reference to these views will now be made Fig. 8 is a lsectional view of amodiiied` by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding` partsfV throughout. Y A n The base or body member of the skate consists ot a somewhat elongated extension y,

bar 1 of channel formation and having a pair. of longitudinal slots 2. Thispbar is disposed in inverted position, i. e., with the sides ofthe channel pointing downwardly, vand upon the saine `are placed a sole plate 3 and a heel plate l., Beneath the bar are. 1

positioned a pair ot" sup'porting` members or staybrackets y5, one for each end of the skate. rl'hese' brackets are of angular formation, one leg of each being disposed hori-V zontally and in contact :with the bar l, while the Vother leg slopes downwardlyandy outvwardly towards the corresponding Vend of.

the. skate. :The assembly ofthe parts thus liar described, ismadc by rivets 6 coniiecting s 'the plates 3 and 4 to the respective brackets 5 and passing looselythrough the slots2.

Each rivet is surroundedfby a Washer 7,. Within the slot in order to avoid clamping the parts together. The assembly further includes a headed bolt 8 p :msed'througheach i plate and corresponding slot 2 into the corresponding bracket. The bracketl is entirely penetrated by the bolt as shown vin Figure 1, and vthe lowerend thereof receives a nut 9.

t will be apparent from the foregoing description that the rivet connections permit adjustment yot the plates and 4 longitudinally ot' the channel extension bar, while the adjustment,maybe secured by the vbolt and. nut device 8, 9. Each bracket is suitably at l1 for receiving the boltas clearly. shownV in Figure 6. Y

- To each is Vattached an axle brace-inthe form of a substantially U-shaped clip 12 `clip and a ,coinciding aperture 15 in the bracket. The saddle of the clip is formed as a bearing 16 for receiving an axle as presently to be described, whilethe sides of thev clip are bent/.outwardly to forni a `boss 17 j apertured atV 1() for receiving the rivets andY a intermediate their ends.` A lug 18 extendsv from the lower end of the bracket into the longitudinal center' of the boss 17. A pair of springs 19 are received in the boss and have their outer ends secured thereto by cotter pins' 20 passed through apertures 21 formed in the boss. The inner ends of the spring bear freely on opposite sides of Vthe lug 18, and being of equal strength, balance the brace with respect to its pivotal connection to the bracket.

The bearing of each brace receives an axle 22 over the ends of which are passed bearing sleeves23 as shown more clearly in Figure 2. Each said sleeve has a central collar y24 which 'forms a double race Jfor ball bearings. The wheel proper consists of a pair of matched semisections 25 bulged at 26 at the rim in order to present the appearance of a balloon tire. The sections are clamped together by a sleeve 27 disposed therein con-V centric with the axle and `having lugs 28 passed through the sides of the sections and bent into engagement with the outer sur faces. This sleeve further completes the double ball race which contains two series of ball bearings 29. In order to prevent the sleeves 23 from slipping, the axle 22 is formed at one end with a bolt head 30 and receives at its other end a nut 31.

A modified form of wheel is shown in Figure 8 wherein the half sections are replaced by asolid body or tire of wood or hard rubber. This member has a hollow center' 36 for receiving the sleeve 37 which lits over the axle.V Apertured plates'38 are applied to the sides of the body, over the opening 36 and receivethe end fingers of a sleeve 39 in the manner described in connection Vwith the previous modiiication. The sleeve 37 has Va central collar 40, which, in conjunction with the sleeve 39 forms a double race orreceiving two series of ball bearings 41. j

The sole plate 3 is provided with a pair of toe clips each having a slot 46 receiving a rivet 47 fixed in the plate. The clips have depending portions 48 which'receivc oppositely threaded screws 49 joined by a central neck 50. A fork 51 secured to the plate 3 straddles the neck and thus prevents the screw from shifting axially. Consequently, onturning the screw by application of a suitable tool to the squared end 52 thereof, the clips will be adjusted relative to the plate 3.

The action of the wheels in describing a curved path will now be described.` Itis natural for vthe skater to exert pressure along the edge 'of the skate corresponding to the direction in which he is about to turn. Such pressure will tilt a side of the skate and also the supporting brackets 5. There will be a pivotal movement of the brackets with respect to the braces 12, and on the pressure side, the braces will be moved upwardly on the brackets.

thesloped parts of the brackets. The upwardly moving wheels will be drawn together, owing to the tact that the sloped parts of the bracket 'converge upwardly; and in like manner the remaining pair of wheels will be spread inasmuch as they are relatively descending the sloping parts of Although speciiic embodiments of the in-v vention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of yconstruction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims. What I claim is 1. In a roller skate, a base, a supporting bracket attached to said base, an axle brace f'pivotally attached' to said bracket, an axle journalled' in said brace, wheels on said axle, a lug extending from said bracket, and aligned springs carried by said brace and bearing on opposite sides ofV said lug, whereby the brace is lbalanced with respect to its pivotal connection to said bracket.

2. In aroller skate, a base', a supporting bracket attached to said base, said bracket sloping outwardly towards an end of said base, an axle brace pivotally attached to said. bracket, an axle journalled in'said brace, wheels on said axle, a lugextending from said bracket, and 'aligned springs carried by said brace and bearing on opposite sides of said lug, whereby Vthe brace `is balanced The wheels at the pressure with respect to its pivotal connection to'said bracket. Y

3. In a roller skate, a slotted extension bar, supporting brackets for wheeled structures disposed beneath the bar and supporting the saine, sole and vheel plates'mounted on said bar and riveted to the brackets through the slots of the bar, whereby the said brackets are rendered adjustable with the plates along said bar, axle braces pivoted to said brackets, an axle journalled in each brace, apair of wheels on each axle, and springs carried by said braces and engaging a part of the brackets to balance the braces with respect to their pivotal connections to the brackets.'

4. In a roller skate, a slotted extension bar,v supportingbrackets for wheeled structuresdisposed beneath the bar and supporting the same, sole and heel plates mounted on said bar and riveted to the brackets through the slots of the bar, whereby the said brackets are rendered adjustable With the plates along said bar, axle braces pivoted to said brackets, van axle journalled in n each brace, a

pair of Wheels on each axle, and springs carried by said braces and engaging a part of the brackets to balance the braces with respect to their pivotal connections to the brackets, said brackets diverging downwardly and outwardly to- Wards the ends of said bar.

5. In a roller skate, a base, a supporting bracket attached to'said base, an axle brace pivoted vto said bracket, an axle journalled in said brace, Wheels carried by said axle, a boss formed in said brace, a lug extending centrally from said bracket into said,l

boss, a pair of springs aligned in said boss, said springs having their outer ends fixed on opposite sides of'said lug, whereby to balance the brace With respect to its pivotalV attachment to the bracket.

6. In a roller skate, a base, a supporting bracket attached thereto, a substantially lU-'shaped axle brace` receiving an endof said bracket and pivoted'thereto, a bearing andk a boss formed in said brace, an axle jour'- nalled in saidv bearing, Wheels mounted on said axle, a central lug extending from said bracket into said brace, a pair of springs aligned in said boss, said springs having their outer ends fixed to said boss and their inner ends bearing on opposite sides of said lug, Whereby'to balance the brace With re,- spect to its pivotal attachment to the bracket.

In testimony WhereofI aiiix my signature.y Y

PERcY o. GIBSON. 

